Ja cię kocham…

Photo Courtesy of Recipe.com

Yesterday was the first time in my life that I have ever had a snowless snow day.  Starting at about 2am, I kept peeking out the window in hopes of seeing snow-covered streets.   Seriously, I was like a kid waiting for Santa to arrive because I kept getting up to see the snow that ended up being a no-show.   All of this excitement mixed with a tinge of anxiety caused me to be wide awake at 4:45am.  The call came at 5:30 that school was closed, and I looked out the window to find nothing.  Not an ounce of snow.  Confusion immediately set in because school was closed and there was absolutely no snow on the ground.

How did this happen you ask?   It’s simple.

The meteorologists were wrong.

Because our area has endured tremendous amounts of snow in the month of February, it’s very easy for all of us to assume the worst.  How could we not?  I mean I still have snow piles more than 2 feet high in my front yard!

I have to say the coolest snow days are the ones with no snow.  As much as it’s a hard pill to swallow that I’m exchanging this day off for June 18th when it’s warm and beautiful, at least I was able to get out and about.   I’m so used to being literally snowed in for days that this was a nice treat.

Above, you can see that we were actually snowed in.  2 more feet of snow came after this picture.

This was 6am yesterday after finding out there was no school.  You can see why I was so confused!

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Since the sidewalks were obviously clear, I went for a nice, long run.  It felt really good especially since I haven’t gone out for that long in a while.  I decided to keep up with the health mode that I was in and make a very healthy and oh-so-delicious pulled chicken sandwich.  This recipe came from my awesome sister’s food blog so I knew I wouldn’t be disappointed.  I cannot believe how easy it was!  When I think of pulled chicken or pork, I think of the crockpot and the hours it takes to make it.  This sandwich was ready in 10 minutes.  Flippin’ awesome.

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Clean BBQ Pulled Chicken Sandwich

Source: Cleanliness is Next to Godliness and Clean Eating Club
Serves 6

Ingredients

1 TBS olive oil

1 medium onion, cut into 1/4 inch thick slices

1/2 cup chopped green or red sweet pepper

3/4 cup barbecue sauce

1 package of chicken tenders

6 whole grain buns or whole wheat sandwich thins

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Directions

Fill a skillet with water and bring it to a boil, then put the chicken tenders in to poach. Poach for about 5 minutes and remove the chicken from the water. Then with a fork, ‘pull’ the chicken apart.

Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion and peppers and cook until soft (5 minutes). Add chicken and barbecue sauce and gently mix together. Simmer until heated through. Spoon mixture onto buns and serve!

It’s a party up in here!  This time last year, I posted for the very first time and had no idea what was going to come of this blog.  Little did I know that I would have so many foodie friends (HUNDREDS of you!) and so much support!  Thank you!

And in celebration of Ja cie kocham’s birthday, I’m making chocolate covered pretzels – a boatload of them.   They are festive, easy to make, and I’m probably going to eat them all within a few days.

I’m also going to use this time to recap on some of my favorite recipes of the year:

Breakfast:

Peanut Butter and Banana French Toast – Heaven on a plate.  ‘Nuff said.

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Appetizer:

Crab-Stuffed Mushrooms – What a crowd pleaser!  Make sure to double the recipe because these will be gone in minutes!

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Pizza:

Pear and Blue Cheese Pizza – Wish I would have thought of this one sooner!  Seriously melted in my mouth.  I could have eaten the whole pizza by myself.

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Sandwich:

Grilled Vegetable, Herb, and Goat Cheese Sandwich – Perfect for a picnic and requires no refrigeration!

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Chicken Dish:

North African Grilled Chicken Paillards – Add ethnic flare to your chicken with a few pantry staples!

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Lime Chile Steaks with Pico de Gallo and Homemade Guacamole – Home run dish.  Bursting with flavor and super healthy to boot!

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Vegetarian:

Lemon Chickpea Stir-fry – AMAZING.  Nothing is more gratifying than making a very healthy meal that is so full of flavor.  I had several people ask for the recipe because they loved it so much.

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Pasta:

Linguine with Bacon, Baby Spinach, and Sage – I found this recipe on the back of the pasta box.  Always check the back of boxes for recipes.  They tend to be real winners!

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Side Dish:

Grilled Pineapple with Agave Nectar (or Honey) and Coconut – Elegant, healthy, delicious!

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Cookie:

The best Chocolate Chip Cookies EVER.  They were huge, fat, chewy, and absolutely sinful!

Thank you for spending time with me in my little corner of cyberworld this year.  Here’s to many more years together!

I have so much leftover ham from Christmas Dinner!  I could feed a family of 15 or 20 with the ham that I have left!  This means that it’s time to get creative.  Sure I could just reheat the ham and eat it, but that gets boring by the end of the second day.  I want to feel as if this is an entirely different meal and not just reheated leftovers.

The day after Christmas I made Jay and I homemade biscuits using left over ham.  Boy these were good.  I’m not exactly the best baker in the world, but I managed to bake biscuits while still throwing in ingredients allowing me to feel as if my personality shines through.  Normally when I do this with baking I end up with disastrous results, but not this time!  This time there was much success!!

Ham and Cheddar Biscuits with Lemon and Chives

Yields 12-14 biscuits

Mildly adapted from: Thibeault’s Table

Ingredients:

2 cups flour
1 Tbs. baking powder
1 Tbs. paprika (I used smoked paprika)
1-2 Tbs. sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 cup butter (room temperature)
1 cup milk, cream, or buttermilk*
*if using buttermilk add 1/2 tsp. baking soda
zest of 1/4 lemon
handful chives, finely chopped
handful cooked ham, cubed

Directions:

Preheat oven to 450°F.

Mix the flour with the baking powder, paprika and salt. Cut in butter until it resembles coarse sand.

Add lemon zest, ham, cheese, and chives.  Stir milk or cream in to flour mixture.  Mix quickly with fork until dough comes together. Using hands gently pat the ingredients together. Do not over mix. Pat out to about 1/2 to 3/4 inch thick on a lightly floured board. Cut with biscuit cutters and place on a parchment paper lined cookie sheet and bake for approximately 12 to 15 minutes.

Then you can make a delicious breakfast sandwich out of your biscuits using MORE leftover ham, cheese and eggs!

Hello you sinfully satisfying sandwich.  Thank you for being so sweet and creamy, melting in my mouth with every delectable bite.  I have never truly believed in love at first sight, but you have proven me wrong.  I fell for you the moment I laid eyes on you.  And I fell hard.

You didn’t disappoint.

The Travel Channel has this awesome show that the hubby and I watch called Man vs. Food.  Have you seen this show?!?  Adam Richman (the host) goes around to different towns to tackle the most monstrous food challenges from the insanely spicy hot wings to the largest hamburger platters the world has ever seen.  And he eats it all.  Adam is the man, and he has conquered food.

During one episode he visited Pittsburgh.  Now I’m from PA  (and if you’re from PA, you say “PA”, not “Pennsylvania”.  It’s a state law, I swear), and I’ll be honest, I have never had the desire to go to the Burgh.  (Sorry Steelers fans. )  I visited the Burgh during my tour of the University of Pitt during my high school years… and subsequently went to Temple University because I have a love affair going on with Philly.  Anyway, what I DID NOT know during my tour of Pittsburgh was that the people eat LARGELY.  When you order breakfast, you get a meal for like 6 people!  They even serve ICE CREAM on their french toast and pancakes.  Oh Pittsburgh, why I have I neglected you?!  A french toast sundae?!?!  Can I start drooling now?!?

I decided to make my own Pittsburgh breakfast with the help of food blogger Burghilicious.  She turned my absolute FAVORITE sandwich (PB and banana) into something so heavenly that I HAD to make it – a PB and banana french toast sandwich.  It was outstanding!  And it was so simple to make.

I used cinnamon bread from the local Amish Market and boy was that a smart move.  Nothing beats homemade cinnamon bread, especially from Shady Maple.   Make sure your bread is sturdy otherwise the sandwich will turn into a droopy, soggy mess.  Lauren, from Burghilicious, used thick slices of challah bread.

If you decide to serve this sandwich with a healthy scoop of Vanilla Bean ice cream, please be sure to invite me over to your house because I want some.

Peanut Butter and Banana French Toast Sandwich

Source: Slightly adapted from Burghilicious

Serves 4

Ingredients:

8 slices cinnamon or challah bread, 1/2 inch thick
2-3 ounces cream cheese, softened
2-3 ounces peanut butter, at room temperature
1-2 bananas, sliced no thicker than 1/4 inch
2 eggs
1 Tbs. half and half
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1-2 tablespoons butter for the pan
confectioner’s sugar for topping
maple syrup

Directions:

Spread 4 slices of bread with a nice layer of cream cheese and other 4 slices with peanut butter.  Add banana slices to the peanut butter slices.

Close the slices to make a sandwich.  In a large skillet warm butter on medium-high heat.

Mix eggs, cream, cinnamon and vanilla in a bowl.  Generously dip the all sides of the sandwiches into the egg mixture and place in buttered skillet.  Cook on each side for about 3 minutes or until golden brown.

Place sandwiches on serving dish, pour maple syrup on them, and sprinkle with confectioner’s sugar.

Enjoy!

Egg McMuffins from Mickey D’s rock my world.  I can eat one in a matter of moments.  I TRY to savor the taste of each bite but it never works because no sooner I bite the sucker, it’s gone.  My excitement is over.

I try to make “Egg McMuffins” at home but they are always so dry – even with the cheese.  I’ve sprayed/slathered the English Muffin with butter to try to moisten it, but nooooo, the sandwich remained disgustingly dry.  After making my Blue Stilton Cheese Sauce, which is essentially blue cheese with milk, flour, and butter (simple), I decided to use it to alleviate the over-crustiness of my sandwich.  Over-crustiness?  You get my point.

Since I’m “off” from work this week to focus on my thesis for grad school – being “off” is a whole other story in itself – I’ve been making heartier breakfasts.  This particular sandwich is for Jay because it’s really spicy, but the heat can easily be turned down for a heat-sensitive palette.  All that I did was add XXX hot sauce to the cheese sauce recipe.  It was really good but my mouth was on FIRE.  Perfect for Jay.  Then I threw some hot peppers on top.  He loved it.  I should call the sandwich Jay’s Inferno or eat this and your tongue will fall out.  Like I said, don’t do the hot sauce or the hot peppers, and there is no heat.  You’ll survive.  And so will your tongue.

Bacon Egg, and Spicy Cheese Sandwich

Serves 2

Ingredients:

2 english muffins
2 eggs
4 slices reduced sodium, bacon (I like center-cut)
Blue Stilton Cheese Sauce + hot sauce stirred in it (hot sauce optional)
hot peppers (optional)
salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Cook bacon in a medium/large skillet.  When it’s almost done, push bacon to the side of the skillet and cook the eggs.  If you want to saute your peppers, throw them in the skillet as well.

While eggs are cooking, toast your english muffins.

Place your toasted english muffins on your serving plate and spread the top half with the cheese sauce.  On the bottom half add the egg, bacon, and peppers.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.  Close them, arrange them so they look pretty on your plate, and enjoy!

Alright, Philadelphians – I initially wrote “hoagie” in the title but for some reason “sub” was a better fit.  I really want to put hoagie in there given my Philly roots, but it didn’t work.   I just don’t ever see a Philly Deli offering Roasted Red Pepper HOAGIES.  Hoagies are loaded with meats, cheeses, oil, mayo, hot and sweet peppers…. this just isn’t a Philly sandwich.  But feel free to call it a hoagie if it makes you feel better – it tastes just as good. )

This sandwich is great for picnics because the goat cheese lasts a long time in your picnic basket.  Simply wrap it in wax paper and you’re on your way!   It’s also great when you want to have a sophisticated and unique meal at your home without all of the fuss or stress that large and time consuming meals bring about.  Like many of my recipes, this one takes minutes.  You gotta love that!   It goes great with a side salad filled with nuts and dried fruit.

Be creative.  Use this recipe as a template for your own creations.  Add grilled eggplant, portabella mushrooms, chicken… anything to make this sandwich to your liking!  Have fun and enjoy.

If you like this sandwich, check out my Grilled Vegetable, Herb, and Goat Cheese Sandwich!

Roasted Rainbow Pepper Sub

Slightly adapted from: Eatingwell.com

Serves: 4

Ingredients:

1 12-ounce jar roasted red, orange and/or yellow peppers, rinsed
1 clove garlic, minced
1 Tbs. red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil
Pinch of salt
Freshly ground pepper to taste
1 16- to 20-inch baguette, preferably whole-wheat
3 tablespoon olive paste or olive tapenade – or pulse black olives with olive oil and salt in your food processor
4 ounces creamy goat cheese
1 1/2 cups arugula or spinach leaves
1 container of baby portabella mushrooms, sliced and sauteed in olive oil (5 minutes or so)

(PS – this sub is 220 calories per serving!!)

Directions:

Combine peppers, garlic, vinegar and oil in a small bowl; toss to combine. Season with salt and pepper.  (**Note: go easy on the garlic and vinegar.  A little goes a loooong way!)

Slice baguette in half lengthwise.

Spread one half with olive paste and the other half with goat cheese.

Layer pepper mixture, mushrooms, and arugula over olive paste.

Top with remaining baguette. Cut across into 4 pieces.

Well hello wonderful sandwich that is figure friendly, sweet, and simple.  Thank you for being so incredibly satisfying in that roaring belly of mine.  You make me happy, very happy.   I want to have you on my plate every night for the rest of my life.   Would you mind that?

This cute treat was a spectacularly light and satisfying dinner for Jay and me.  Typically this recipe is for a brunch but it worked well for us as night time.  I always have a huge craving for dessert after dinner but this sammie was nice and sweet and satisfied the Sugar Monster that visits me around 8 o’clock every night.  He looks remarkably similar to the big, hairy, orange Hunger Monster on the Weight Watchers commercials.  Sugar Monster doesn’t bother me all day, but as soon as dinner is over he throws Hershey kisses and ice cream sandwiches at my face.  Crazy monster.  Will you ever leave me be?  Probably not – unless, of course, I eat this sandwich for dinner every night.

Speaking of Weight Watchers, this sandwich is only 3 points (per full slice of bread with topping).  I recommend using the Pepperidge Farm Cinnamon Raisin Bread because it is only 80 calories a slice.  )

Hands-on prep was all of 10 minutes and cook time was as long as your toaster takes to make your toast.

If you’re a mom or dad, Mom-Mom or Pop-Pop, you’re (grand)kids will love these!  They can be cut into hearts, stars, or whatever cookie cutter shape you’ve got!  This recipe reminds me so much of my Mom-Mom and Poppy.   I used to go on summer vacation for a week at a time at their house, and they always made me sliced strawberries mixed with sugar.  Mmmmmm…. I love the fond memories.  This takes me back to the 1980s…

I regret that I didn’t have the required raspberries for this recipe, but I definitely added some lime zest for a kick and some contrasting coloring.

Berry and Cream Cheese Open-Face Sandwiches

Source: Weight Watchers All-Time Favorites Cookbook, p. 75

Serves 4

Ingredients:

4 large strawberries, hulled and sliced
1/2 cup raspberries
1 1/2 Tbs. sugar (I used turbinado)
1/2 tsp. grated orange zest
2 tsp. fresh orange juice
4 Tbs. light cream cheese
2 tsp. honey or agave nectar
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
4 slices cinnamon-raisin bread
lime zest for garnish

Directions:

Combine the berries, sugar, orange zest and juice in a small bowl.  Let it sit for 5 minutes (or until sugar dissolves) while stirring occasionally.

Meanwhile, combine the cream cheese, honey, and vanilla in another small bowl.

Toast the bread; let cool about 30 seconds.

Spread 1 Tbs. of cream cheese mixture on each slice of bread.  Cut each slice in quarters and top each quarter wtih about 2 tsp. of berry mixture.  Sprinkle with lime zest.  Serve immediately.

So cute!  Enjoy guilt-free!

This year I am absolutely determined to create my own veggie garden.  There is nothing better than fresh, beautifully ripe vegetables pulled right out of the garden.  They taste so much better than those that come from the grocery store.  Jay and I were thinking about investing in a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture), but the upfront costs are not very appealing.  The part that is appealing is driving 5 minutes to an organic farm and picking your own fruits and veggies for the week, and the fact that we would be supporting local farmers.  I cannot WAIT until the local farm stands open back up.  I pile on the fruits and veggies for mere dollars.  But I also want to just walk into my pea-sized backyard and pick piles and piles of veggies.

Giada De Laurentiis the host of a few Food Network shows made an unbelievable grilled vegetable, herb, and goat cheese sandwich on her show Giada at Home.  My mouth instantly began to water as I watched her mound eggplant onto sun-dried tomatoes, onto basil, onto goat cheese….  This sandwich literally uses most of my favorite foods!  I could not wait to make it.

The sandwich is filled to the maximum so make sure that you have parchment paper to wrap tightly around this masterpiece.  It’ll prevent you from losing any goodies from your sandwich.  )

I made absolutely no alterations to this baby.  It was PERFECT.

Grilled Vegetable, Herb, and Goat Cheese Sandwiches

Source: Giada at Home

Serves 4

Ingredients:

1/2 cup olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, drained and finely chopped
1/2 cup chopped fresh basil leaves
1 tablespoon chopped fresh tarragon leaves
1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme leaves
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 zucchini, ends trimmed and discarded, sliced lengthwise into 1/4-inch-thick pieces
2 Japanese eggplants, ends trimmed and discarded, sliced lengthwise into 1/4-inch-thick pieces
1 (12 1/2-ounce) baguette, sliced in 1/2 lengthwise
1 cup (6 1/2 ounces) goat cheese, at room temperature
1 1/2 cups baby spinach

Directions:

Place a grill pan over medium-high heat or preheat a gas or charcoal grill.

In a small bowl, mix together the olive oil, garlic, sun-dried tomatoes, basil, tarragon, thyme, salt, and pepper. Place 2 tablespoons of the mixture in a medium bowl. Add the zucchini and eggplant and toss until coated. Place the vegetables on the grill pan or grill and cook for 3 to 4 minutes on each side until tender.

While the vegetables are cooking, spread the olive oil mixture on the baguette halves. Using a spatula spread the goat cheese over the olive oil mixture. Place the cooked vegetables on the bottom half of the baguette. Arrange the spinach on top of the vegetables. Place the top half of the baguette over the filling.

To serve, cut the baguette into 4 sandwiches. Serve immediately or wrap in parchment paper and refrigerate for up to 2 hours.